From: The White House <75300.3115@compuserve.com>
Subject: STATEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY REGARDING HOMOSEXUALS
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The whitehouse e-mail address is 75300.3115@compuserve.com
Please circulate that to the list if I neglected to do so. Ken
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For Immediate Release: January 29, 1993
STATEMENT OF DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE POLICY REGARDING HOMOSEXUALS IN
THE MILITARY
The President has directed the Secretary of Defense to conduct
a review of the current Department of Defense policy that excludes
homosexuals from military service and prepare a draft executive
order based upon that review by July 15, 1993
Current Department of Defense personnel policies related to
this issue will remain in effect at least through July 15, 1993
while the Department of Defense is conducting the review directed
by the President, subject to the following guidance:
First, question regarding sexual orientation will be removed
from future versions of the induction application, and will not be
asked in the interim. The briefings on military justice which all
recruits are required to receive upon entry to military service
and periodically thereafter under Article 137 of the Uniform Code
of Military Justice will include a detailed explanation of the
applicable laws and regulations governing sexual conduct by members
of the armed services.
Second, the Department of Justice is seeking continuances in
pending court-cases involving former service members who have been
discharged on the basis of homosexuality and who are seeking
reinstatement into military service. The continuances would freeze
those cases pending the completion of the review directed by the
President.
Third, commanding officers will continue to precess cases
under the current cases and regulations related to homosexuality.
* Cases involving homosexual conduct will be processed through
actual separation and discharge in accordance with current policy.
* When a case involves only homosexual status and the person
involved requests a discharge, the person will be released from
active duty.
* Cases involving acknowledged homosexual status being
contested by the individual will be processed through all
applicable stages, including notice of the basis for separation,
hearing before a board of officers, review of the board's
recommendations by the separation authority, and action by the
separation authority to discharge the person. If directed by the
Attorney General, the final discharge in the cases based only on
status will be suspended until the President acts on the
recommendations of the Secretary of Defense with respect to current
policy. A member whose discharge has been suspended by the
Attorney General will be separated from active duty and placed in
the standby reserve. Individuals in the standby reserve would have
the option to return, upon request, to active duty should the
current policy be changed. Those personnel whose cases have not
been suspended will be discharged.
* Commanding officers may, in the interests of the individual
of the unit concerned, direct changes in the assignment of
personnel during the course of separation proceedings.
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